'He didn't come' - Arne Slot sends perfect Real Madrid response after Trent Alexander-Arnold offer

Real Madrid set alarm bells ringing in the Liverpool fanbase when they made an approach for Trent Alexander-Arnold on New Year’s Eve.

While it was rejected by the Reds, who have no interest in selling their vice-captain mid-season, the La Liga giants have signalled their intent.

The England international is out of contract at the end of the season, with his future the subject of intense speculation as a result.

Reports in Spain have made it clear that Real Madrid are growing increasingly confident that they will sign the defender on a Bosman

Trent has not communicated to the Reds that he has chosen to join Real Madrid, despite reports in Spain suggesting otherwise.

But that has not stopped onlookers from assuming that Alexander-Arnold is now destined to join the reigning European champions

former Liverpool stars Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen just two of a plethora of pundits to fear the worst for the Reds following Real Madrid’s approach.

following their failed mid-season approach for his vice-captain, Reds head coach Arne Slot has debunked suggestions that Real Madrid always get their man

Slot used Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard to prove his point.

Slot:

“I think there was one player (Gerrard) they would have really loved to have but he didn’t come,”

“You know him better than me. So it has happened.”

Slot would also reiterate that the transfer speculation regarding Alexander-Arnold - is not a distraction as his side look to maintain their Premier League title lead.

Slot said

“These are all ‘if, if if.’ My answer is that he’s with us and his full focus is with us,” he said of Van Dijk.

“This is what you saw in the West Ham game and the games before.

“He’s in almost everyone’s team of the year for the first-half of the season. That shows how much he’s here at the moment. That’s the only answer I can give you at the moment because there’s no if.

“For me, there’s no distraction at all and I don’t see any distraction with Trent as well. If you simply look at his performances and how he trains. I see him train every day and not getting distracted at all.

“It’s the same with Virgil and Mo and all the others because if you play at a club like this, every player is probably in the interest of someone. That’s part of football and that’s why we’re not distracted by it.”